A taxi rank could be moved to a more convenient place for night-time passengers.

it happens to be nearer Councillor cleavers favourite watering hole and closer to his house making his fare home cheaper

Cab drivers currently wait for customers on Broad Street in Stamford, except for on Fridays when they move to Star Lane to make way for the weekly market.

and on fridays fight a long running battle with people wanting a nice convenient town centre parking spot

Historically this part of town was a hub for the town’s nightlife but the area around Sheepmarket is now becoming more popular.

The taxi rank in Broad Street, StamfordThe taxi rank in Broad Street, Stamford
To reflect this change, a council is considering moving the taxi rank to the bus station in St Peter’s Hill.

Councillor Richard Cleaver (Ind), who represents Stamford on South Kesteven District Council, believes this would be more convenient for people visiting the town’s pubs and restaurants in the evenings, and would also cut down on the number of taxi drivers breaking the rules by waiting in Red Lion Square on Fridays.

He said: “It’s clear there is a problem with traffic congestion because drivers seem to be using the church side of Red Lion Square as a taxi rank, which it’s not.

Councillor Richard CleaverCouncillor Richard Cleaver
“Council officers have taken enforcement action against this but we need to look at the wider issue and find better arrangements for taxis on market day.

“We plan to look at how the bus station could be used for taxis. The current rank in Broad Street was chosen for the nighttime economy but the Sheepmarket area of town is now becoming more of a hotspot for hospitality so it makes sense for the taxi rank to be nearer to it.”

Last September the council introduced a new order to stop people parking at the bus station. It followed complaints from bus drivers who were struggling to access the station during the summer months because of the number of parked cars.

Anyone who parks there now could be fined.

Stamford Bus StationStamford Bus Station
Coun Cleaver said the ramp next to Pizza da Mario could be used as well as the area around the bus station. He added: “As a council we want to get the best use of any property we own.”

This has long since been bollarded off for pedestrians only and at the bottom would clash with a busy junction and pedestrian crossing

A date for the taxi rank review has not been confirmed but Coun Cleaver said officers will get to it “as soon as they can”, adding that taxis waiting in Red Lion Square will cause more congestion if plans to install bollards at the bottom of High Street are approved.

Stamford Town Council is expected to decide next month whether to block vehicle access to High Street between 10am and 4pm each day by using lockable bollards at the top and bottom of High Street, Ironmonger Street and Maiden Lane.

_________________
lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector
​
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Parbury Road, Forest Hill: Murderer said he 'felt nothing'

A rapist Uber driver killed his wife by stabbing her in the neck then hid her body in the attic.

Shane Simmonds, 39, murdered his wife Tia, 32, in the bedroom of their home on Parbury Road, Forest Hill, on New Year’s Day.

Tia’s mum said just days before the killing they had all enjoyed a “normal family Christmas with food and games”, but Simmonds’ internet history later revealed that he had been planning his wife’s murder for at least a month.

On December 2 he had searched “how long for a dead body to smell” and in November he researched sleeping pill deaths.

Prosecutor Deanna Heer KC said while their kids were out of the home on January 1 Simmonds mixed 30 sleeping pills into two drinks, telling Tia it was a “health shot”.

Tia took only a few sips due to the taste, so Simmonds got a knife from the kitchen and stabbed her twice in the neck as she got out of the shower.

He then covered her body in bedding and clothing then hid it in the attic, Ms Heer said.

Simmonds then cleaned the scene before he picked their children and Tia’s mum up from Bromley, telling them Tia had gone out with a friend and later that she was staying in a hotel.

On January 3 he turned up at Lewisham Police Station and told the reception officer “I f***ed up big this time, I killed my wife”.

He also confessed to raping another female.

Ms Heer told the Old Bailey that Tia and Simmonds had been married for a decade.

Tia’s mum said they appeared to be a happy couple with a strong relationship, but Ms Heer said: “Below the surface it seemed that things weren’t quite as she thought.”

Simmonds had worked as a prison officer but lost his job prior to the Covid lockdowns, claiming he had been “stiffed”.

At the time of the murder he was working as an Uber driver but had a gambling problem and was in debt.

He was also using prostitutes and Tia suspected he was cheating on her, the court heard.

Three months before her murder Tia had told a friend she was unhappy and was thinking about ending their marriage.

In his police interview Simmonds said he was depressed and felt he was losing his family.

He said when he stabbed Tia in the neck, he felt nothing.

Simmonds had no criminal history or cautions on his record.

Ms Heer said Simmonds had been using anabolic steroids prior to his death, even though he had stopped going to the gym.

Simmonds faces a life sentence, Judge Philip Katz KC will decide the minimum length of that sentence.
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*Bolton Council has 'no enforcement' on out of town taxis

Bolton does not have “enforcement powers” for “out of town” taxis that have been licenced by other councils; town hall has heard.

In recent months and years an increasing number of taxis operating in Bolton have been doing so with out-of-town licences, particularly from Wolverhampton.

This has meant that the public have had to rely on those other authorities, rather than Bolton Council, acting on reports of alleged wrongdoing.

Addressing a town hall meeting Cllr Ryan Bamforth, of Horwich North, said: “I'm currently chasing up complaints from residents who have outstanding concerns.

“It seems to be a loophole for many to go to what would appear are a less strict local authority to be able to operate here in Bolton, taking away the term local, and in some ways making our licensing department potentially redundant on this matter.”

If taxi licences are granted by Bolton Council then the authority has the power to investigate and take enforcement action if members of the public have complaints.

But they cannot do so if taxis have been licenced out of town and must instead rely on those other councils that granted the licence taking action.

Addressing a full meeting of Bolton Council, Cllr Bamforth asked what enforcement if any the authority can take against taxis like these.

In response, council cabinet member for regulatory services Cllr Sue Haworth said that all three licences for a private hire vehicle “the trinity of licences” must be granted by the same authority.

She said that Hackney carriages had the freedom to take up contracts or pre-booked work in any area but could only “rank” in the area where their licence was granted.

Cllr Haworth the Deregulation Act of 2015 had allowed private hire operators the right to subcontract bookings across different council boundaries.

This also allowed private hire or Hackney carriages that were licenced by one authority to work wholly or partly in another area.

Cllr Haworth said: “This is the reason out of towners, as they are often referred to, can work in the Bolton area.”

She added: “Bolton Council unfortunately does not have enforcement powers for Hackney carriage and private hire licences issued by another licencing authority.

“What we do is forward details of any wrongdoing to the relevant licencing authority that issued the licence and rely on that authority to investigate and take appropriate action.”

Cllr Haworth said the changes to regulations had been “contentious” within licencing departments.

But she said the Greater Manchester Combined Authority were making the case for strengthened licencing regimes.

Cllr Haworth said this was expected to appear in a forthcoming white paper on English devolution.
​
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A consultation found that over 75% of respondents were against the proposals.

Peterborough City Council has recommended that CCTV cameras be installed in all hackney carriage and private hire vehicles in the city.

The council has encouraged the use of CCTV in licences vehicles since July 2022 but did not make it mandatory at that time.

A consultation has since been carried out, between November 2023 and February 2024, as to whether the council should make the use of CCTV in vehicles mandatary, following guidance from The Department for Transport, on the protection of passengers.

Following consultations online, via petitions, email, social media and a meeting of the Hackney Carriage (HC) and Private Hire (PH) federations, a total of 678 people came out against the proposals and just 139 in favour.

Out of 453 responses to the online survey, 261 said that they thought other measures should be taken, these were listed to be more of a police presence in response to incidents, drivers improving their behaviour when driving, drivers wearing their badges and undertaking more regular checks and training.

Hackney Carriage (HC) and Private Hire (PH) federations responded by stating that there preferred option was if CCTV was brought in as a discretionary scheme rather than mandatory. Drivers could then sign up for this is they wish, and the council can regulate.

The federations also stated that the council is likely to lose trade if the proposal is passed as well as raising concerns about whether the council would be providing funding for the instillation of cameras.

If the council was to accept the recommendation of its Housing and Communities Team and implement mandatory CCTV in vehicles, drivers would be required to registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office and pay a data protection fee.

The cameras would be both internal and external facing and would include an SOS panic button drivers could press in an incident and the footage would be automatically uploaded to the cloud.

An app would allow drivers to review, retrieve, and/or request historic footage and the drivers would have ultimate responsibility for how personal data is collected and processed and can determine in what circumstances the images should be disclosed.

A phased in approach would see drivers having to comply no sooner than 12 months and no later than 18 months.

The decision about whether to implement CCTV in hackney carriage and private hire vehicles will be made by the city council’s Licensing Committee on Thursday (6pm).

lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector
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Hyndburn taxi driver loses appeal against licence revocation

A taxi driver had his licence revoked by a council after the vehicle he was driving was found to be carrying what was suspected to be a quantity of drugs.

The driver claimed he had purchased the vehicle and given it back to another driver the following day due to some mechanical faults and that he did not know what the vehicle was being used for.

At the time of the vehicle being stopped, he was the licensed proprietor of it having signed a declaration that he owned the vehicle, and produced a bogus new keeper supplement.

On August 28, he lost his appeal against the revocation of his hackney carriage and private hire driver's licence at Blackburn Magistrates' Court.

The magistrates dismissed the appeal and upheld the decision of the council to revoke the licences.

The name of the driver involved in the case was not included in court documents.

A Hyndburn Council spokesperson said: “The priority of the taxi licensing department is to protect the public.

"The use of licensed vehicles to transport illegal substances or for any other illegal purposes will not be tolerated and the council will use all the powers it has to ensure that those responsible are brought to task."

source: https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/24579444.hyndburn-taxi-driver-loses-appeal-licence-revocation/

Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

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​WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON WITH THIS TRADE WHY OR DRIVERS DOING THIS, from me 

CCTV released as Coventry taxi driver is 'seriously assaulted'

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/ ... r-29096294


Police have released CCTV after a taxi driver has been seriously assaulted. Shortly after 9.30pm on April 29, the cabbie picked up a man at Coventry train station, before driving on towards Bennetts Road South.

Just before the end of the journey, the man attacked the driver, hitting him in the back and chest a number of times and demanding money. The driver managed to escape, though he was left with arm and chest injuries, and the man who attacked him fled the scene, police said.

Police say they are looking to speak to the man in the CCTV image as they believe he may have information which could help with their enquiries.

Anyone who recognises him is asked to contact Coventry Police on 101 or on LiveChat, quoting crime number 20/446120/24.

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A TAXI driver from Drongan has been put on the sex offenders register after he confessed to offering to waive a woman’s fare in return for sex.

James Mitchell assaulted the woman in his cab near Cumnock after pulling into a layby when she pointed out he was going the wrong way.

The woman fled after Mitchell stroked her arm and thigh in a layby on Skares Road.

The 58-year-old’s solicitor said he “accepted culpability on an amended basis”, having previously denied the offence and originally planned to lodge a special defence of consent to the charge.

The procurator fiscal depute told Ayr Sheriff Court the woman and her cousin had left an event at The Boolers in Drongan at around 1.30am on September 17.

The prosector said: “They left, walking into Millman Avenue, and observed a parked taxi. They spoke to the accused and asked him to take them to Cumnock.

“The [second] witness gave the accused £40 at her home address.

"Thereafter he continued along the bypass, turning in the direction of Ochiltree. At this point [the complainer] challenged the accused that he was going the wrong way.

"At this point the accused pulled in and asked the accused what he was doing.

He said: "If you give me some sex you can get the taxi for free."

"The accused proceeded to move his hand up her left arm and up her thigh.

"She got out the front passenger door and ran along the road, shouting for help.

"She ran in the direction of East Ayrshire Community Hospital. and at this point emergency responders heard her shouts for help.

"They observed clear signs of distress and noted she was under the influence. She reported she had been abused by a taxi driver.

"She was taken by her daughter to her address.

"Police officers attended the accused’s address. He was cautioned and charges under the Sexual Offences Scotland act.

"The complainer is supportive of a non harassment order."

Defence solicitor Tony Currie said: "Mr Mitchell's licence was removed from him, as can be expected, and his employment was lost as well.

"What is clear these two ladies were extremely intoxicated. Whatever he believed, or was said, is irrelevant due to the condition of intoxication.

"He was in a position of trust as a taxi driver."

Sheriff Desmond Leslie told Mitchell: "This was a significant breach of trust. People should expect safety and security and the responsibility that comes from your position.

"I haven't had a victim impact statement, but I rather think [the victim] will be hesitant about using taxis in the future.

“She was intoxicated and you took advantage of that."

Mitchell, of Watson Terrace, was placed under supervision for two years as part of a community payback order and told to pay a fine of £500.

He was also tagged and must remain at his home address every night from 7pm to 7am for the next six months.

He will remain on the sex offenders register for five years with a non-harassment order put in place for the same period.

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Taxi driver’s licence revoked on grounds of public safety upheld by Birmingham Magistrates Court

A private hire driver licensed by Solihull Council who had his licence revoked on public safety grounds after an alleged sexual assault on a customer had his appeal dismissed yesterday (12 August) at Birmingham Magistrates Court.

Tariq Rehman (47) of Stuarts Road, Stechford, had his licence revoked with immediate effect in November following an alleged sexual assault. Following the revocation, the court heard that Mr Rehman was abusive and threatening to staff at Solihull Council and the private hire operator he had been working for.

He then lodged an appeal against the decision.

Birmingham Magistrates Court upheld Solihull Council’s original decision on 12 August because of the complaints made against Mr Rehman and ordered him to pay costs of £1,200.

Solihull Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities, Cllr Wazma Qais, said: “As the licensing authority we have a duty to protect members of the public. Anyone stepping into a taxi or private hire vehicle must be able to trust the driver so I am pleased that Birmingham Magistrates Court upheld our decision to revoke Mr Rehman’s licence.

“I would like to say thank you to our staff in regulatory services for the way they have handled this case and also to the brave woman who reported the sexual assault in the first place. I hope this case reassures our residents and customers that we will listen to you and take action accordingly.”

For more information about Solihull Council’s taxi licensing policy please see - Strategies - Regulatory Services | solihull.gov.uk

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Brighton taxi driver found guilty after young man killed in crash


A short-sighted taxi driver was not wearing his glasses and thought he had hit a sheep when he knocked down a young father-to-be and left him for dead.

Abul Hussain struck father-to-be Jack Brandon after dropping passengers off in Hassocks.

Mr Brandon was walking home after a friend’s wedding reception when he was struck by Hussain in New Road near Ditchling at 12.47am on July 3 last year.

CCTV showed that Hussain, 55, was not wearing his glasses while driving down the 60mph road and had already driven past Mr Brandon 90 seconds before.

Father-of-four Hussain thought he had hit a “sheep or deer” and drove back to his home in Stapley Road, Hove, without stopping at the scene.

He said he did not stop because it was “dangerous to stop there” on a national speed limit road.

Mr Brandon was found dead at the side of the road at 11am that day. He had been walking in the same direction as traffic westbound.

Hussain’s Peugeot Horizon was found in his driveway three days after the crash with damage to the passenger side headlight, windscreen and wing mirror.

Hussain was found guilty by a bench of lay magistrates at Brighton Magistrates’ Court during a seven hour trial today.

The court heard that Hussain, now of Downside in Shoreham, could only read a number plate 4.9 metres away without his glasses, a quarter of the 20 metres required by the DVLA.

Piers Restell, prosecuting, said: “The defendant has already passed Mr Brandon and 90 seconds later returns after dropping off a fare up the road.

“Most probably the collision would have occurred even if the defendant were to have had glasses.

“With better vision, the driver would have been able to identify Mr Brandon and not think it was a sheep or deer.

“It is clear that they will be able to see that Mr Brandon was a person.”

Detective constable Simon Rideout was brought in as an expert.

He said Hussain’s eyesight was “well below the required level” and Mr Brandon placed himself in a “position of vulnerability”.

DC Rideout said that from the dashcam footage, it is clear the driver “would be able to see Mr Brandon was a person”.

The court was shown a still image of the second before Mr Brandon was struck.

The court also heard that it was dark, the road was narrow and bordered by hedges and grass verges.

Richard Saynor, defending, said there was nothing to suggest that Hussain was driving dangerously at the time of the crash. His speed was between 40 to 45mph.

He said there was just over one second between Mr Brandon being visible and the accident occurring. The defence said it takes two seconds to emergency break.

Addressing the bench, Mr Saynor said: “You have to conclude his driving was careless. That the accident was unavoidable, it would have happened if he had glasses on or if someone had 20/20 vision.”

Mr Restell disagreed and argued that knowing he needed glasses to drive “falls below the standard to be a safe, competent driver”.

He added: “Is it right that a taxi driver goes around with an inability to see while driving?"

Hussain said he did not believe he had hit a pedestrian when he left the scene.

Asked why he was not wearing his glasses, Hussain said: “Since Covid I have experienced that when I wear glasses and a mask, steam comes out and fogs up the glasses. It became my habit. Sometimes I wear them, sometimes I did not wear.”

Hussain was charged with failing to stop, failing to report an accident and alternative charges of dangerous and careless driving.

Chairwoman of the bench Joanna Brown said: “We find as a fact that there is a presumption of adequate vision to drive. You have impaired vision and require glasses to drive. On the night in question you drove without your glasses.

“To drive without glasses falls far below the standard of a competent driver. We do not find to be credible your account in giving evidence today.

"You failed to stop and you failed to report an accident."

They referenced the expert evidence, dashcam footage and said the damage to the car was consistent with hitting a person.

Hussain has been given an interim ban from driving until his sentencing.

He will be sentenced on December 13 at Brighton Magistrates’ Court.
****************************************************************************************************************************************************************CTV appeal after taxi driver reportedly racially abused

We are releasing a CCTV image of a man we would like to speak to following an alleged incident of racial abuse and assault.

On Monday, 6 May, at 3.15am it is reported a group of people were collected by a taxi driver in Leeds and travelled to Balby, Doncaster.

Once in Balby, it is reported that there was a dispute over the taxi fare. A passenger in the taxi allegedly racially abused the driver, before reportedly assaulting him and kicking his car.

Since the incident officers have been carrying out a range of enquiries and have now released a CCTV image of a man they would like to speak to in connection with this incident.

The man is described as white of slim build with brown hair. He is approximately 5ft 8in and is thought to be between 18 and 25 years old.

Do you recognise this man?

You can report information to us online, via live chat or by calling 101 quoting investigation number 14/84550/24.

You can access our online portal here: www.southyorkshire.police.uk/ro/report/ ... t-a-crime/.

Alternatively, you can provide information anonymously via independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.
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Buckinghamshire Council has successfully defended in court a decision to revoke a private hire taxi driver’s licence after he was caught using a mobile phone whilst driving.
Mr Azhar Iqbal of Littleworth Road, High Wycombe, was stopped on the A355 by Thames Valley Police officers, after he was seen handling and speaking into a mobile phone whilst driving in August 2022.
Mr Iqbal failed to notify Buckinghamshire Council at the time of the offence, contrary to the conditions of his private hire licence. He eventually notified the council’s Licensing Team in April 2023, and subsequently Mr Iqbal’s private hire licence was revoked by Buckinghamshire Council on 12 October 2023.
Mr Iqbal unsuccessfully attempted to have his original conviction overturned. On 19 December 2023, after hearing evidence from the attending police officers and watching recordings from officers’ body worn cameras, magistrates said they were satisfied that he was guilty of the offence. He was issued with 6 DVLA points and ordered to pay a fine and court costs totalling £774.
Further to Mr Iqbal’s revocation, Buckinghamshire Council received an appeal against the decision to revoke his licence which was heard at Wycombe Magistrates on Friday 26 April 2024. 
The District Judge found the conviction for using a mobile phone was sufficient to justify revoking Mr Iqbal’s licence in accordance with the council’s policy and that there were no exceptional circumstances to justify an alternative decision.  
Mr Iqbal was ordered to pay Buckinghamshire Council’s costs in the case of £5,500.
Mark Winn, Cabinet Member for Homelessness and Regulatory Services, said:
“Buckinghamshire Council recognises the serious risk presented by mobile phone use while driving. It is a significant distraction and substantially increases the risk of the driver crashing – putting passengers, pedestrians, and other road users at risk of serious harm. Importantly, the handling of mobile phones while driving is completely avoidable and there are many hands-free solutions available.
“The council expects its licensed drivers to maintain professional standards, comply with the law and protect public safety. Licensed drivers who are found driving while using a phone by hand can expect to have their licence revoked in line with our policy.”  

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Taxi drivers reluctant to work late night shifts due to ‘drunken, violent or abusive customers’

Taxi drivers in Barnsley are reluctant to work late night shifts due to drunken, violent or abusive customers, according to a new report.

Barnsley Council has surveyed taxi use in the borough, which it has to do to justify its limit of 67 licensed hackney cabs.

A report following the survey found gaps in taxi provision for a number of reasons.

It said that there is an issue getting drivers to work during the busy late night and early morning periods, due to concerns for their safety.

Seven per cent of drivers surveyed said they avoided working during these times, in case they face ‘drunken, violent or abusive customers’.

It also said demand for services in the borough has increased from 3.4 per cent in 2017 to 9 per cent in 2024.

BMBC is currently waiting to hear news of a bid for funding so it can install CCTV in hackney carriage vehicles in the hopes this will encourage more drivers to work at unsociable times and not avoid ‘difficult customers’.

If the funding is granted, the council will consult drivers on the CCTV plans.

The report adds: “Our two largest private hire companies have been amalgamated and have also brought with them out-of-town drivers that although raising a significant concern to the trade, are helping to fill the unmet demand gap.

“Despite there being unmet demand that is significant we would not introduce more Hackney Carriages vehicle licences at this time, althoughother research and a repeated full survey with rank surveys no later than March 2025 is recommended.”

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CCTV appeal following robbery inside taxi in Liverpool city centre

Detectives are appealing for information following a robbery inside a taxi in Liverpool City Centre. They have issued a CCTV image of a man who may have information that could assist their enquiries.

At around 4.45am Sunday 31 March we received a report that a man forced his way into a taxi on Seel Street which had a woman and her friend inside the rear of the vehicle. The man attacked the woman and stole her handbag before he was removed from the taxi by a doorman and fled the scene.

The woman was thankfully unharmed but was left very distressed after the incident.

Since the attack detectives have conducted CCTV and witness enquiries to identify the suspect, and have now issued an image of the man they believe could assist with their investigation.

Detective Inspector Steve Street said: “Our officers are continuing to investigate this violent and frightening attack which left a woman fearing for her safety after the incident.

“Thankfully another man and door staff bravely intervened and helped the woman after the attack. We are appealing to anyone who helped the victim or recognises this man pictured to come forward and contact us as soon as possible.

“Everyone should be able go out and feel safe in our city without the fear of being attacked and we are determined to find whoever is responsible and bring them to justice.

“We think this man may have vital information to help our enquiries so if you know him please come forward as soon as possible.

“Similarly, If you work in the area where this happened and have any CCTV or dashcam footage from the early morning of Sunday 31 March that captured this incident please contact us so we can continue to investigate."

If you have any information, please contact us directly via @MerPolCC on Twitter, 'Merseyside Police Contact Centre' on Facebook with reference 24000299910.

Alternatively, call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or report online at https://crimestoppers-
 
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New use planned for taxi kiosk at York Station

One of York’s smallest listed buildings could soon be put to a new use.

The taxi kiosk at York Station is now available to rent for commercial use.

Previously used by Station Taxis, the kiosk is said to be “suitable for a number of uses excluding a taxi office”.

The kiosk, in the north east corner of the portico, is Grade II listed. Timber with a glass roof, it dates from about 1900.

“This is an unusual survival of an increasingly rare building,” the official listing states.

According to the lease document, this is a “prime serviced retail unit” in a station with around 9.5 million passengers a year.

The 164 square feet kiosk is on the market for a rent of £1,667 pcm, or £20,000 a year.

The details add: “The station will during 2025 to 2026 be undergoing redevelopment work and the intention is to pedestrianise the portico.”

York Station Taxis still gives the portico as its address on its website. YorkMix contacted the business for a comment but hasn’t yet heard back.
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York taxi firm under threat if owner found to be ‘unfit to hold a licence’

A York taxi firm could be run off the road if councillors find its owner to be ‘unfit to hold an operator’s licence’.

York Cars is operated by Mohammed Iqbal. A report to the licensing & regulatory committee asks members to consider revoking his licence.

It alleges the following conduct by Mr Iqbal:

i) Enabling drivers (licensed by another authority) that the council would not consider ‘fit and proper’ to work as private hire drivers in York
ii) Blaming the council for its stance over Uber for the position, ‘when this is not the case’
iii) Operating ‘690 Taxis’ and ‘Street Cars’ in York without an operator’s licence
iv) False or misleading customer testimonials.

The report states: “All of the above may give rise to concerns with regards to Mr Iqbal’s honesty and integrity, going to the heart of the ‘protection of the public’ consideration which is the reason for licensing private hire operators.

“In turn, this may give members a reasonable cause to believe that Mr Iqbal is not ‘fit and proper’ to hold a private hire operator’s licence.”

Mr Iqbal has been licensed by the York council as a private hire operator since 20 October 2016.

His current licence was issued in April 2019 following a change of name from ‘York and Ebor Cars’ to ‘York Cars’. Council records show that there are 154 drivers and 134 vehicles licensed to work on behalf of York Cars.

The licence is due to expire on 19 October 2021.

According to the report York Cars is licensed by Wolverhampton City Council rather than York.

This is a lawful practice. But the report says:

Mr Iqbal obtained an operator’s licence in Wolverhampton with no intention of undertaking journeys there.

This was designed to circumvent York’s local licensing controls and recruit those drivers who were unable to pass our safeguarding and knowledge test.

Mr Iqbal’s operation sent (even sponsored) new applicants for driver licences, who they knew did not to have the requisite knowledge to pass the York tests, to Wolverhampton to obtain a licence, on the grounds that they would drive in York regardless.

It also says he ran taxi services under two other trading names ‘690 Taxis’ and ‘Street Cars’ in York without an operator’s licence, and published ‘false or misleading customer testimonials’.

The council has also received complaints about Wolverhampton-licensed vehicles operating in York, many from other taxi drivers.

Complaints included:

i) reversing on a dual carriageway
ii) parking in a disabled bay at York Racecourse
iii) running a red light.

Councillors will consider the report at a meeting on 17 November at 5.30pm.

Their options are:

1. Revoke the licence
2. Suspend the licence
3. Take no further action.

In a statement, York Cars told YorkMix: “It’s business as usual at York Cars.

“We believe we have followed and adhered to all legislations.

“We are prepared to follow this through to the end and thank our customers, drivers and staff for their support.”

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Romanian taxi driver, 45, raped mother-of-three in the back of his cab after she fell asleep following a night out, court told

A Romanian taxi driver raped a female passenger in the back of his cab after she fell asleep following a night out, a court has heard.

Ioan-Cristian Manole allegedly took advantage of his 'very tired' lone female customer after she dozed off in the early hours of the morning.

Prosecutors claim Manole, 45, parked his cab in a secluded area on a road before removing the sleeping woman's leggings and underwear.

The mother-of-three, in her 40s, woke up and found Manole raping her, leaving her in 'hysterics', it was heard.

The alleged attack happened in the Fareham area of Hampshire, after the woman - who can't be named for legal reasons - booked a taxi home from a friend's house.

After she fled the taxi, the woman 'sought refuge' with a neighbour and was said to arrive at his in 'hysterics'.

Prosecutor Simon Foster Foster told the court: 'She was sobbing, she was distressed and of course he asked her 'what's happened?'. She said that she had nowhere else to go.

'He wanted to know whether she was hurt and she said no she hadn't been hurt, but 'I have been raped'.

'She was asked 'who?' and gave the answer 'it was the taxi driver'.'

Opening the trial at Winchester Crown Court, prosecutor Mr Foster said: 'She did not consent, she said she woke up in the taxi with this defendant already sexually penetrating her.

'We're not talking in this case about two parties who met in a bar, or something like that, we're talking about a taxi driver and his charge.

'Obviously a taxi driver is not a police officer or someone charged with the protection of the public.

'But, a taxi driver who is asked to take a lone female passenger home has a duty to see her home safely and properly.'

Mr Foster told the court that evening the woman had been out with friends for drinks.

Mr Foster said around 3am the woman left her friend's home in the Aqua Cars taxi and she had conversation with Manole.

Manole said he was divorced, lived in Southampton, Hants, and had a teenage daughter who was studying in Romania.

Mr Foster said: 'The journey home was uneventful. There was some conversation between them until the taxi driver pulled up near where to where it was that she lives.

'She recalled taking her seatbelt off and paying and she was still chatting to the taxi driver who at one point was on the telephone in Romanian - she didn't, of course, understand.

'She described that she was sitting in the back behind the driver of the taxi and fell asleep.'

The mother did not know how long she was asleep for and came round to find Manole raping her in the back seat of the taxi.

Mr Foster added: 'When she came to, she realised of course what was happening and it stopped.

'That taxi driver had taken advantage of a very tired female. She could feel his body against hers. She reacted by sitting up immediately.'

Manole is said to have dropped the passenger home and she 'grabbed her' leggings and underwear and left the vehicle.

Mr Foster said: 'She described feeling shocked and numb.'

In a police interview played to the court, the woman said 'everything has completely changed' after the rape.

She said she woke up in the taxi to a 'sudden pain' which 'jolted me back to what was happening'.

She said: 'When I realised what that pain was, that's when I realised what he was doing.'

The mother described attending her neighbour's house and said: 'I was hysterical and collapsed on the floor. He asked me what happened and I said I had been raped by a taxi diver.'

Manole alleges the sex was consensual and that he asked her if 'he could have sex with her and she said yes'.

He denies rape and sex assault by penetration.

The five day trial continues.

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Taxi driver injured in passenger knife attack

Mr Dale said he was very concerned for his own safety and that of other drivers

A taxi driver from Stoke-on-Trent said he was very nervous about returning to work after being attacked by a passenger with a knife.

Darren Dale was injured as he took a fare home from a night out in Hanley on Saturday, and said he had never expected the journey "to turn the way it did."

Mr Dale, a taxi driver for 23 years, was slashed to the head and side.

An 18-year-old man had been arrested and bailed on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm, criminal damage and robbery, said Staffordshire Police.

Mr Dale said he was attacked in a dispute over a mobile phone, which the passenger had initially asked him to hold on to until they could get cash from home to pay the fare.

The passenger then wanted the phone back before the end of the journey, and Mr Dale said he handed it over, before taking it back when the customer went to get out of the car.

That led to a knife being pulled and threats being made, said the driver, who was chased around the car in the attack.

He said he had had "ordeals" during 23 years of doing the job, but "nothing on this level or scale," and the "town was getting scary to work in."

Mr Dale said he wanted to speak out about what happened as he was concerned for not just his own safety, but that of his fellow taxi drivers.

Staffordshire Police said it had arrested a man following an assault in Stoke-on-Trent at about 05:30 GMT on 16 March.

It confirmed a man in his fifties was attacked while inside a car by another man with a knife on Janson Street, Hanford, and suffered minor injuries to his head.

An 18-year-old man from Stoke-on-Trent had been arrested on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm, criminal damage and robbery.

He had since been released on police bail while inquiries continued, the force said.

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Taxi drivers battle to keep licences as meeting told of 'errors of judgement'

A Blackpool cabbie who was involved in a collision after driving through a red light has been punished by town hall licensing chiefs.

The driver, who has not been named, had their licence suspended for a week and received a letter warning them they could be stripped of their licence if such an incident happened again.

Minutes from a meeting of the council’s public protection sub-committee say dashcam footage showed the driver had been “a substantial distance from the lights” when they changed from green, and “had accelerated from approximately 18mph to 34mph when they passed through the junction.”

The driver blamed an error of judgement and pressure from their employer to meet their schedule for the offence, which happened in March 2023 but had not been reported to the council until recently. The cabbie, who now works for another taxi company, said their previous employer only reported the incident after they had left the operator.

During the same hearing, the sub-committee stripped another driver of their licence after hearing they had been arrested over alleged drugs offences and in relation to an alleged assault in a hotel room.

Minutes from the meeting say due to “the seriousness of the offences disclosed, particularly the domestic incident in January 2024” it was considered the driver “was not a fit and proper person to hold a licence” and councillors ruled the licence should be revoked with immediate affect.

Both incidents were among four cases considered by the public protection sub-committee, sitting behind closed doors, when it met on Tuesday February 20 at Blackpool Town Hall.
 
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Moray man who spat in Buckie taxi driver's face told police officers "I was spiked"

A MAN who spat in the face of a taxi driver after becoming aggressive at the end of a night out has been ordered to pay £250 in compensation.

On July 22 last year, a taxi driver stopped to pick up a man and a woman outside a hotel on Low Street in Buckie at around 10.30pm.

The man, later identified as Ricki Thain (22) from Portgordon, got into the taxi alongside the woman but the driver could not understand what he was saying.

Procurator fiscal Karen Poke told the court that it was at this stage that Thain started to get loud and aggressive.

The taxi driver pulled over but Thain demanded that she take him home.

She told him to leave the taxi but Thain grabbed her by the t-shirt, scratching her neck in the process, before spitting directly in her face.

He then proceeded to spit all over the taxi.

She told him that she would phone the police but he continued to shout and started to kick the outside of the taxi.

He attempted to regain access to the taxi by pulling at the door but the taxi driver pulled away so that she could contact the police.

But Thain was still agitated when officers arrived.

He screamed in the face of one officer and resisted arrest, kicking his legs out in an attempt to break free.

And, upon being moved into the back of a police van, he again started to spit profusely.

Elgin Sheriff Court heard that a spit hood had to be applied en-route to the police station.

He claimed that he had been "spiked" after waking up the following morning.

Defence solicitor Grant Daglish told the court that Thain had been out with friends drinking on the night in question.

However, he has little memory of what happened but has since apologised in person to the officers who arrested him and is hopeful of doing the same for the taxi driver.

Sheriff David Sutherland ordered Thain to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.

He also imposed a 12 month supervision order and ordered him to pay the taxi driver £250 in compensation

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Significant number' of women experience offensive remarks or behaviour from taxi drivers in Milton Keynes

The council is launching a new scheme to stop it

A significant number of women in Milton Keynes are reporting ”inappropriate behaviour” or offensive language from taxi drivers, it has been revealed.

Now MK City Council has launched a new White Ribbon scheme in a bid to solve the problem.

They are inviting local taxi drivers to become White Ribbon Ambassadors and display special White Ribbon stickers in their vehicles to show that abuse of women is not tolerated.

Newport Pagnell South Lib Dem Councillor Andy Carr proposed the motion and it was unanimously agreed at the recent full council meeting.

Cllr Carr told the meeting: “MKCC receives a high proportion of complaints from women in regard to inappropriate behaviour or language by taxi drivers towards female passengers.”

He added: “I want to stress that not all taxi drivers are offensive towards women, but there is a percentage that are. Women and girls have the right to feel safe in our city and as a licensing authority we should do all that we can to address this.

"Going forward, we want to ensure drivers get the correct training before being granted a license.”

MK City Council has now resolved to ensure that all new applicants and taxi license holders understand that verbal, physical and emotional abuse is not tolerated.

Mandatory safeguarding training for drivers will be improved so that it includes domestic abuse and equality training.

And the council will also encourage all those passengers experiencing abuse to report it.

Currently, all drivers licensed by the council undertake mandatory safeguarding training to ensure they have a better understanding of the abuse suffered by children and vulnerable adults prior to obtaining their license.

Milton Keynes City Council currently licenses approximately 1,500 drivers to provide private hire and hackney carriage services for residents in the city.

However, once a license is acquired, a driver can operate anywhere in England as long as they are licensed with an operator in a corresponding local authority area. This means that a large proportion of drivers operating in the city are licensed by other councils.

MK City Council will also work with operators to encourage their drivers to promote the White Ribbon campaign and write to Transport for London and other local authorities whose drivers operate in Milton Keynes to encourage them to take a similar approach.

Councillor Sophie Bell, who represents Shenley Brook End, said: “It’s concerning to hear that a high number of women have experienced inappropriate behaviour from drivers, but as all women know it’s not uncommon to be made to feel uncomfortable by offensive remarks or behaviour.”

She added: “I’m glad that positive steps will now be taken to raise awareness of the campaign amongst drivers, as this will allow women and girls to feel safe when travelling in taxis that display the White Ribbon.”

White Ribbon is a global campaign that encourages people, especially men and boys to challenge behaviour and change the culture that leads to abuse and violence against women.
 
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Will they what do you think?
‘Out of area’ taxi working will be banned under Labour

‘Out of area’ taxi working would be banned under Labour, Andy Burnham has said.

Mr Burnham, speaking on his regular BBC Radio Manchester ‘in the hot seat’ phone in, also said he had verbal confirmation from Louise Haigh, shadow transport minister, that the practice would be stopped.

Out of area working is where taxi drivers register with one local authority, but ply their trade in another part of the country. Many minicabs seen on Greater Manchester roads are registered in Sefton or Wolverhampton.

Our region’s leaders have tried to curb the practice with measures in the new Clean Air Zone, by ensuring only taxi drivers registered in Greater Manchester would be eligible for the clean taxi fund. That is a pot of money available to cabbies to put towards the cost of upgrading or replacing their cars to newer, cleaner models.

Mr Burnham’s revelation on Thursday (February 1) is the first time an outright ban has been touted.

He said: “[On] out of area working — the ‘Wolverhampton Problem’ — I was in Westminster yesterday (January 31), discussing HS2 with the government, but I was also with the shadow transport secretary.

“I got a firm commitment from the shadow transport secretary that out of area working will be stopped under a Labour government.”

Since Mr Burnham spoke on the radio on Thursday morning, a Labour spokesperson has confirmed the party will reform ‘minimum licensing standards’ to ‘address the abuse of cross-border hiring’.

A statement said: “As Labour have already outlined, we will ensure there are minimum licensing standards across local authorities, for taxi and private hire vehicles, including for the safety of passengers, to address the abuse of cross-border hiring.”

The date for the general election has not formally been set, but Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has indicated it will be held during the ‘second half’ of 2024.

More than a third of private hire taxi drivers in Greater Manchester (GM) are licensed by a council that operates around 80 miles away in Wolverhampton.

Wolverhampton Council have previously denied that it is "quicker and easier" to get a private hire licence with them, claiming applicants undergo a "strict and rigorous" process that includes a one day training course, enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service checks, a medical certification and a face to face English assessment.

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Bolton taxi drivers to be warned after town centre concerns

Taxi drivers are set to be warned after complaints about “parking” and “illegal U-turns” in Bolton town centre.


Cllrs Ryan Bamforth and David Grant out with police in December (Image: Cllr Ryan Bamforth/The Bolton News)

This comes after a special police operation around Bradshawgate just before Christmas, where officers, joined by councillors, and dealt with several outbreaks of disturbances.

Cllr Ryan Bamforth, of Horwich North, said he noticed several concerns about taxi maneuvers and parking, which Bolton Council now says that the licencing unit will warn drivers about.

Cllr Bamforth said: “It was clear that the police have a lot to contend with and that was with one extra sergeant and eight extra constables on the ground.

“One matter arising was taxi drivers parking as and where they liked causing a risk the health and life along with illegal U-turn manoeuvres on a busy road.”

They were out between 11pm and 7am along with the Chief Inspector and Inspector of Greater Manchester Police’s Bolton district.

Addressing a full meeting of Bolton Council, Cllr Bamforth asked the authority’s leadership if they would meet with him and the others who came to discuss what could be done.

In response, cabinet member for regulatory services Cllr Sue Haworth said that taxi drivers would be warned about behaviour like this.

She said: “In addition to the joint enforcement work, the licencing unit is going to be asking for a communication to be circulated to all private hire and hackney carriage services and their operators.

“This will outline concerns in respect of the compliance with parking regulations, the illegal U-turns and other safety concerns.”

But Bolton Private Hire Association secretary Yasif Khan has said drivers in the town already know not to perform illegal manoeuvres despite the huge pressures they face.

He said: "Where does Bolton Council want us to go? They want the taxi drivers to bring the punters in, to help the night time economy and then to bring them home.

"They want us to do that but we've said we haven't got enough space there."

He added: "Our drivers, the Bolton drivers, we already tell them not to perform illegal manoeuvres.

"But there are licenced drivers from Wolverhampton and drivers from Uber there, not the Bolton drivers."

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Taxi driver drove over woman's foot as she crossed the road

A TAXI driver ran into a woman as she crossed a road at Skipton Bus Station, breaking one of her legs and bones in a foot, heard magistrates.

Haq Nawaz had picked up some customers and was turning in the entrance to the bus station at around 10pm on May 7 last year when he drove into the woman and over her foot, Skipton Magistrates heard today (Friday).

She was left with a broken tibia in one of her legs and broken bones in a foot, the court heard. She spent four weeks with her leg in plaster and suffered bumps and bruises.

Prosecuting, Mel Ibbotson told the court how the woman had described feeling an impact on the back of her knee and screaming at the driver of the taxi to stop.

She and her husband had been in the Fleece Pub in Keighley Road and were on their way to a restaurant when she was hit by Nawaz's taxi.

Nawaz got out of his vehicle, a BMW 3 series, and told the woman that he had not seen her, said Ms Ibbotson.

The woman recalled her husband shouting and swearing and thinking she could not walk. After 45 minutes, an ambulance arrived and she was taken to hospital.

An x-ray confirmed she had a broken tibia in one of her legs, and broken foot bones.

In an interview with police, Nawaz fully accepted what he had done, and explained he had just picked up a fare from Flutez and Fizz in Keighley Road and was turning in the entrance to the bus station, a road he knew very well.

Nawaz, 52, a man of previous good character, admitted causing serious injury by driving without due care and attention.

In mitigation, Julian White said the loss of losing his licence would have a significant impact on Nawaz who was married with two children.

He had been driving since 1987 and had been a taxi driver on an off for 30 years, and had always had a clean licence.

Mr White said Nawaz knew the couple, they were regular customers, and he had been to see them.

"He could not be more contrite. This was the definitive momentary lapse of concentration," said Mr White.

Probation officer Andrew Watson said Nawaz would learn from the incident and there was a question mark over whether he would get his taxi licence back once his driving ban was over.

Nawaz of Park Grove, Keighley, was given a 12 month community order with 100 hours unpaid work. He was also banned from driving for a year and ordered to pay costs of £85 and a surcharge of £114.

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Ajmal Sudhan, 55, pointing at the pavement kerbs

Taxi drivers in Southampton are threatening to revolt over the 'thoughtless' redesign of a rank outside the city's biggest railway station.

A £5.5m redesign of Southampton Central interchange has been blasted by angry cabbies, who say the revamped rank on the southern forecourt is not wheelchair accessible.

They say the narrow design also means taxis sometimes have to drive across the pavement to leave - but the council claims it consulted drivers ahead of the changes.

In an email to the chairman of the city council's licensing committee, the Southampton Hackney Organisation called for an urgent meeting with key decision makers - and said it was 'putting in plans for multiple strikes against the council regarding this matter'.

These would start from February and run straight up to May's local election.

"It is a mess that has been created by Southampton City Council, which the council needs to fix," the email said.

Because the kerb for the new rank does not drop, wheelchair-bound passengers often struggle to get into the back of disabled-friendly taxis.

Chairman of the association, Ajmal Sudhan, said he has had disabled passengers rant about how they struggle to get into the back of taxis without a dropped kerb.

The 55-year-old said: “The passengers were very frustrated. I had one lady who couldn’t even get out of her wheelchair, and she couldn’t get into the car.”

Because of the narrow design of the rank, the only taxis which can easily leave are at the front of the queue, or at the end - because they can reverse out.

So if someone needs a wheelchair-friendly taxi and it is not in these positions, they often have to drive on the pavement to get out of the queue.

The council claims this issue is being managed by taxi drivers - but Ajmal disagrees.

He said: “The way that they designed this makes it look like they weren’t thinking.

“What the council have said to us is that cars behind it can just reverse to let the van out.

"But tell me how when it’s so busy here in the station, how are you going to get three taxis out of the rank while cars and passengers are at the station?

The driver of 30 years added: “The old rank was preferred because we had a lot more space. The new one they have come up with just makes things worse for us.”

The former chairm

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